Optical imaging apparatus and optical imaging method using the same

Abstract

An optical imaging apparatus operable to form a sharp stereo image in the air beside an observer, includes a flat plate-shaped light-controlling panel having numerous light-reflecting elements disposed side by side, each of which allowing light from the object to pass therethrough by reflecting the light by a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface disposed in a crossed arrangement with respect to the first reflective surface, wherein the light-controlling panel has a plurality of segment light-controlling panels in which the first reflective surfaces and the second reflective surfaces included are parallel, respectively, centerlines P of the respective segment light-controlling panels, when viewed from thereabove, intersect at a point O on the light-controlling panel, and bisectors which bisect crossing angles between the first and the second reflective surfaces of the light-reflecting elements existing on the centerlines P coincide with the centerlines P when viewed from thereabove.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical imaging apparatus comprising a flat plate-shaped light-controlling panel for forming a real image of an object at a position plane-symmetric to the object with respect to the light-controlling panel as a central plane, the light-controlling panel having numerous light-reflecting elements disposed side by side, each of the light-reflecting elements allowing light from the object to pass therethrough by reflecting the light at a first reflective surface and further reflecting the light at a second reflective surface, the second reflective surface being disposed on a level different from that of the first reflective surface while being paired with the first reflective surface, and being in a crossed arrangement with respect to the first reflective surface when viewed from thereabove,
 wherein the light-controlling panel is divided to comprise a plurality of segment light-controlling panels in which the first reflective surfaces and the second reflective surfaces included are parallel, respectively, and wherein centerlines of the respective segment light-controlling panels when viewed from thereabove intersect at one point on the light-controlling panel, and further wherein bisectors which bisect crossing angles between the first reflective surfaces and the second reflective surfaces of the light-reflecting elements existing on the centerlines coincide with the centerlines when viewed from thereabove. 
 
     
     
       2. The optical imaging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second reflective surfaces comprised in the segment light-controlling panels are formed numerously inside a first segment transparent plate and a second segment transparent plate, respectively, the first and the second reflective surfaces being in strip shapes and arranged side by side at a constant pitch perpendicularly to one sides of the first and the second segment transparent plates, respectively, and wherein the numerous light-reflecting elements are formed by disposing one sides of the first and the second segment transparent plates face-to-face in a manner that the first and the second reflective surfaces are crossed. 
     
     
       3. An optical imaging apparatus comprising a flat plate-shaped light-controlling panel for forming a real image of an object at a position plane-symmetric to the object with respect to the light-controlling panel, the light-controlling panel having a number of light-reflecting elements disposed side by side, each of the light-reflecting elements allowing light from the object to pass therethrough by reflecting the light at a first reflective surface and further reflecting the light at a second reflective surface disposed in a crossed arrangement with respect to the first reflective surface,
 wherein the light-controlling panel is divided to comprise a plurality of segment light-controlling panels in which the first reflective surfaces and the second reflective surfaces included are parallel, respectively, and wherein centerlines of the respective segment light-controlling panels when viewed from thereabove intersect at one point on the light-controlling panel, and further wherein bisectors which bisect crossing angles between the first reflective surfaces and the second reflective surfaces of the light-reflecting elements existing on the centerlines when viewed from thereabove coincide with the centerlines. 
 
     
     
       4. The optical imaging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a flat plate-shaped light-shielding portion where the light-reflecting element is absent is provided centering around the one point where the centerlines of the respective segment light-controlling panels intersect, and the object is placed in a cylindrical space having a central axis which is a perpendicular line passing through the one point and being perpendicular to the light-shielding portion, and also having a cross-sectional shape same as that of the light-shielding portion. 
     
     
       5. The optical imaging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the respective segment light-controlling panels have a shape of an isosceles trapezoid when viewed from thereabove. 
     
     
       6. An optical imaging method using a light-controlling panel for forming a real image of an object at a position plane-symmetric to the object with respect to the light-controlling panel, the light-controlling panel having a number of light-reflecting elements disposed side by side, each of the light-reflecting elements allowing light from the object to pass therethrough by reflecting the light at a first reflective surface and further reflecting the light at a second reflective surface, the second reflective surface being disposed on a level different from that of the first reflective surface while being paired with the first reflective surface, and being in a crossed arrangement with respect to the first reflective surface when viewed from thereabove, comprising:
 dividing the light-controlling panel into a plurality of segment light-controlling panels wherein the first and the second reflective surfaces included are parallel, respectively; 
 bringing centerlines of the respective segment light-controlling panels to intersect at one point on the light-controlling panel when viewed from thereabove; and 
 bringing bisectors which bisect crossing angles between the first reflective surfaces and the second reflective surfaces of the light-reflecting elements existing on the centerlines, when viewed from thereabove, to coincide with the centerlines, thereby decreasing a ratio of the light-reflecting elements allowing light to pass therethrough by reflecting the light once by either one of the first and the second reflective surfaces with respect to the light-reflecting elements allowing light to pass therethrough by reflecting the light once each by the first and the second reflective surfaces in the respective segment light-controlling panels. 
 
     
     
       7. An optical imaging method using a flat plate-shaped light-controlling panel for forming a real image of an object at a position plane-symmetric to the object with respect to the light-controlling panel, the light-controlling panel having a number of light-reflecting elements disposed side by side, each of the light-reflecting elements allowing light from the object to pass therethrough by reflecting the light at a first reflective surface and further reflecting the light at a second reflective surface disposed in a crossed arrangement with respect to the first reflective surface, comprising:
 dividing the light-controlling panel into a plurality of segment light-controlling panels wherein the first reflective surfaces and the second reflective surfaces included are parallel, respectively; 
 bringing centerlines of the respective segment light-controlling panels to intersect at one point on the light-controlling panel when viewed from thereabove; and 
 bringing bisectors which bisect crossing angles between the first reflective surfaces and the second reflective surfaces of the light-reflecting elements existing on the centerlines, when viewed from thereabove, to coincide with the centerlines, thereby decreasing a ratio of the light-reflecting elements allowing light to pass therethrough by reflecting the light once by either one of the first and the second reflective surfaces with respect to the light-reflecting elements allowing light to pass therethrough by reflecting the light once each by the first and the second reflective surfaces in the respective segment light-controlling panels. 
 
     
     
       8. The optical imaging method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 forming a flat plate-shaped light-shielding portion, where the light-reflecting element is absent, centering around the one point where the centerlines of the respective segment light-controlling panels intersect; and 
 placing the object in a cylindrical space and at one side of the light-shielding portion, the cylindrical space having a central axis which is a perpendicular line passing through the one point and being perpendicular to the light-shielding portion, and whose cross-section is the light-shielding portion. 
 
     
     
       9. The optical imaging method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 forming the respective segment light-controlling panels to have a shape of an isosceles trapezoid when viewed from thereabove. 
 
     
     
       10. The optical imaging apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a flat plate-shaped light-shielding portion where the light-reflecting element is absent is provided centering around the one point where the centerlines of the respective segment light-controlling panels intersect, and the object is placed in a cylindrical space having a central axis which is a perpendicular line passing through the one point and being perpendicular to the light-shielding portion, and also having a cross-sectional shape same as that of the light-shielding portion. 
     
     
       11. The optical imaging apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein a flat plate-shaped light-shielding portion where the light-reflecting element is absent is provided centering around the one point where the centerlines of the respective segment light-controlling panels intersect, and the object is placed in a cylindrical space having a central axis which is a perpendicular line passing through the one point and being perpendicular to the light-shielding portion, and also having a cross-sectional shape same as that of the light-shielding portion. 
     
     
       12. The optical imaging apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the respective segment light-controlling panels have a shape of an isosceles trapezoid when viewed from thereabove. 
     
     
       13. The optical imaging apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the respective segment light-controlling panels have a shape of an isosceles trapezoid when viewed from thereabove. 
     
     
       14. The optical imaging apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the respective segment light-controlling panels have a shape of an isosceles trapezoid when viewed from thereabove. 
     
     
       15. The optical imaging method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 forming a flat plate-shaped light-shielding portion, where the light-reflecting element is absent, centering around the one point where the centerlines of the respective segment light-controlling panels intersect; and 
 placing the object in a cylindrical space and at one side of the light-shielding portion, the cylindrical space having a central axis which is a perpendicular line passing through the one point and being perpendicular to the light-shielding portion, and whose cross-section is the light-shielding portion. 
 
     
     
       16. The optical imaging method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 forming the respective segment light-controlling panels to have a shape of an isosceles trapezoid when viewed from thereabove. 
 
     
     
       17. The optical imaging method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 forming the respective segment light-controlling panels to have a shape of an isosceles trapezoid when viewed from thereabove.